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My G Mother named on birth cert as Marina Farthing born 28th March 1874 in Bedwelty, Aberystruth, County of Monmouth, went into domestic service in abt 1886 as a kitchen maid in a large house already having 16 indoor servants. She was hired by the housekeeper with the approval of the cook and was told that Marina was not a servants name and she could choose either Lizzie or Maggie and she chose Lizzie. How long she was there is not known.

Next time she appears is when she was married to my G Father, William John Hutchings at Mere registry office in 1895 (very pregnant) My father was born in Sept of the same year. In fact he was born in Thames Ditton, Surrey.

It is interesting to note that Marina does not appear in any Census as a Farthing then in 1901 as a Hutchings and ALL family certificates ie childrens births and marriages she appears as Marina.

One further complication is that in 1881 and 1891 census returns Marinas place is taken by an Elizabeth Farthing with the same birth details as Marina. some fiddling? as I have not been able to find a Birth Certificate for Elizabeth with date and place matching.

Good luck ---- Keith :-)

Is there a question in there somewhere?

So who are her parents on her birth cert ?

Civil Registration event: Birth


Name: FARTHING, Marina
Registration district: Bedwellty
County: Monmouthshire
Year of registration: 1874
Quarter of registration: Apr-May-Jun
Mother's maiden name: Not available before 1911 Q3
Volume no: 11A
Page no: 85

married in WILTSHIRE
Name: FARTHING, Marina
Registration district: Mere
County: Wiltshire
Year of registration: 1895
Quarter of registration: Apr-May-Jun
Spouse's last name: Not available before 1912
Volume no: 5A
Page no: 453
Name: HUTCHINGS, William John
Registration district: Mere
County: Wiltshire
Year of registration: 1895
Quarter of registration: Apr-May-Jun
Spouse's last name: Not available before 1912
Volume no: 5A
Page no: 453

Marina Farthing
Birth 28 Mar 1874 in ,Colliers Arms, Blaina , Wales
Death 13 Apr 1946 in 11, Eastway, Sale, Cheshire


According to a tree on Anc, these are her parents

William Farthing
1846 –
Fanny Herridge
1847 –

I would guess that the name Marina was parent's choice at birth, and then thought to be a bit 'fancy' or Elizabeth was the name of a grandmother perhaps and chosen as her 'workaday' name, hence Marina on all 'official certs' but not on the two census.

how do you know the story of her domestic service,

Elizabeth's are often known as Lizzie .

Is this your family in 1881, with Elizabeth aged 7 who you are saying is Marina??
1881 census transcription details for: Orchards Houses, Aberystruth


National Archive Reference:
RG number: RG11
Piece: 5239
Folio: 77
Page: 8
Reg. District: Bedwelty
Sub District: Aberystruth
Parish: Aberystruth
Enum. District:
Ecclesiastical District:
City/Municipal Borough:
Address: Orchards Houses, Aberystruth
County: Monmouthshire
Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth Year Occupation , Disability Where Born
FARTHING, Wm Head Married M 34 1847 Collier Sills, Wiltshire
FARTHING, Fanny Wife Married F 39 1842 Near, Wiltshire
FARTHING, Hagnes Daughter Single F 15 1866 Working In Factory (Lab) Near, Wiltshire
FARTHING, Mary Jane Daughter Single F 13 1868 Scholar Near, Wiltshire
FARTHING, W J Son Single M 9 1872 Scholar Near, Wiltshire
FARTHING, Elizth Daughter Single F 7 1874 Scholar Blaina, Monmouthshire
FARTHING, Mary Ann Daughter Single F 5 1876 Scholar Brynmawr, Brecknockshire, Wales
FARTHING, Alice Daughter Single F 3 1878 Scholar Nantyglo, Monmouthshire
FARTHING, Wm Geo Son Single M 2 1879 Scholar Nantyglo, Monmouthshire
FARTHING, Sarah Elizth Daughter Single F 0 1881 Nantyglo, Monmouthshire

if William and Fanny are her parents she seems to have been known as Elizabeth in both 1881 and 1891 and living at home in Mere (where she married) not as a servant in 1891

The Elizabeth Farthing on the 1891 (same family as 1881 above) is a silk winder - doesn't fit the domestic service at 12 story.

Keith - what was Marina's father's name on her marriage certificate?

???????????


Births Sep 1873

Farthing Elizabeth - Mere 5a 215

baptisms of later children of William and Fanny in Mere

21 September 1884
Elizabeth,
Mary Ann,
Alice
William George

17 May 1885
Edward

3 May 1887
Ernest

Sorry I was so keen to get the known info into the thread, I completely forgot the important question and that is -- is it possible in some way to find out where Marina(Lizzie) might have been living whilst in service. ? was there some sort of official record madeby the employers of servants ie rather like a servants census?The only thing I can use is the size of the house (needing 16 indoor servants)
Is there someone with ANY ideas ???

Keith

1891

William Farthing 45
Fanny Farthing 46
Agnes Farthing 25
Mary J Farthing 22
Elizabeth Farthing 17 - Blaina Mere, Wales
Mary A Farthing 15
Alice Farthing 14
George Farthing 13
Sarah Farthing 8
Edward Farthing 6
Ernest Farthing 4

According to 1891 census in Mere Wiltshire, Elizabeth had two siblings born in Mere in 1885 and 1887

Registration district: Mere
Sub-registration district: Mere
ED, institution, or vessel: 10
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 1627
Folio: 116
Page Number: 12
Household Members:
Name Age
William Farthing 45
Fanny Farthing 46
Agnes Farthing 25
Mary J Farthing 22
Elizabeth Farthing 17
Mary A Farthing 15
Alice Farthing 14
George Farthing 13
Sarah Farthing 8
Edward Farthing 6
Ernest Farthing 4

Which means that she was about 11 when they moved back - which flies in the face of her going into service at the age of 12?

1901 - Luton Beds

William Hutchings 30
Marina Hutchings 27 - Blaina, Monmouthshire
William Hutchings 5
Florence Hutchings 2

as shown by the baptisms I posted above William and Fanny were still in MERE in 1887 and the baptism in 1884 was for an Elizabeth

what were Marina's parents names on her birth certificate Keith

where did the story that she was a servant originate and where was this big house please


Mike - I think it actually says in 1891 Blaina Mon. not Mere, just to save confusion

Thanks all for your comments and info and just to clear the difference between Mike and lancashireAnn see below. Also, Ann father was william farthing and mother fanny farthing nee herridge. For MarieCeleste fathers name on her Marriage cert was definitely William Farthing

Keith



1901 census transcription details for: 15, Pondwicks Road, Luton Urban, Town
National Archive Reference:
RG number: RG13 Piece: 1517 Folio: 75 Page: 12

Reg. District: Luton Sub District: Luton
Enum. District: 25 Ecclesiastical District: St Mary's
Parish: Luton Urban City/Municipal Borough:
Address: 15, Pondwicks Road, Luton Urban, Town
County: Bedfordshire
Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth
Year Occupation,
Disability Where Born
HUTCHINGS, William Head Married M 30 1871 Iron Moulder
Mare
Wiltshire
HUTCHINGS, Merina Wife Married F 27 1874
Blaine
Monmouthshire
HUTCHINGS, William Son Single M 5 1896
Ditton
Surrey
HUTCHINGS, Florence Daughter Single F 2 1899
Bourton
Dorsetshire

Shirley All trhe facts about her service , the house, and 16 servants were told to my cousin and I on cold or rainy days and we often badgered her to tell us more.I also remember on one day she told us the names of her servant friends but was not able to tell us the names of anyone upstairs as this wasn't allowed. One other thing she told us was that she learnt to speak Welsh and taught us lots of words.

Keith

You have failed to answer the question which has been posed several times.

WHO were the woman's parents?

BTW..........tales told to amuse little children are often just that...........

If she was a living-in servant, she would be recorded as such on the census.

What was her stated occupation when she married?